‘You don't have to be educated to help your child’: Parental involvement among first generation of higher education Druze students in Israel

Abstract

First-generation students cope with challenges deriving from a lack of knowledge regarding higher education. This lack of knowledge is particularly relevant for minorities groups. In this context, parental involvement can be regarded as a meaningful pathway for enrolment and advancement in higher education. The study examined the perceptions of Druze students from the Golan Heights in Israel, who are considered to be a minority group and are first-generation students, regarding their parents' involvement in their higher education studies. 15 Druze were interviewed. Using thematic analysis, it was found that parents' support is reflected in a high appreciation of education, due to the absence of opportunities during their own childhood, alongside moral and indirect academic support. The study contributes to understanding the intersection of being part of the Druze minority with being first-generation students, highlighting these students' ways of overcoming barriers in the context of national and ethnic challenges.